(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electric connector provided with a protective cover for protecting terminals disposed in a connector housing except when the connector is fitted in a corresponding part.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
A conventional electric connector in the field is described in Japanese Utility Model Application Early Laid-open Publication No. Sho 57-10470, for example. This is constructed as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. A connector housing or male connector housing 1 includes hollows 2 in each of which a terminal 4 united with a conducting wire 3 is fixed. At the side of the male connector housing 1 is formed a window 5 through which the terminals 4 are viewed.
To protect the terminals 4 from any damage when the housing 1 is conveyed to some place, for example, a protective cover 6 is fitted in the window 5 slidably up and down in FIG. 1. On the other hand, a corresponding connector housing or female connector housing 7 includes a hole 8 for receiving the male connector housing 1. In the hole 8 is extended a tongue portion 10 of a flexible printed wiring board 9 disposed on the wall of the female connector housing 7.
As shown in FIG. 3, when the male connector housing 1 is inserted into the fitting hole 8 of the female connector housing 7, the lower edge of the protective cover 6 comes in contact with the wall of the female connector housing 7, or, to say more precisely, the flexible printed wiring board 9. At the same time, the protective cover 6 is slid upward, the window 5 is opened, and the terminals 4 are each connected with circuit patterns 11 of the printed wiring board 9.
However, in the conventional electric connector, the side edges of the protective cover 6 are unfixedly fitted in grooves 1a formed in the male connector housing 1 as shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, the protective cover 6 is easily slid up or the window 5 is carelessly opened by turning the male connector housing 1 upside down, so that the terminals 4 are damaged or deformed.
That is to say, a drawback is that there is often opened the window 5 for completely protecting the terminals 4 disposed in the male connector housing 1 when the male connector housing 1 is conveyed or installed.
Further, a guide frame 1b must be fixed to the male connector housing 1 in order to form the grooves 1a at the both sides of the housing 1. The fixation of the guide frame 1b, however, results in the enlargement of the housing 1. Accordingly, the female connector housing 7 also is enlarged because the hole 8 must be arranged to fit the enlarged male connector housing 1. Such a large sized connector housing, however, is inconvenient for an electric connector used in a small space, such as an automobile.
Further, as shown in an arrow of FIG. 4, the application of external force to the protective cover 6 causes a bend of the cover from the position of a phantom line to the position of a solid line, so that some terminals 4 are damaged.